Bottle crate construction



Jan. 29, 1935. E. M. PENNOCK 1,989,149

BOTTLE CRATE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 21, 1951 Patented Jan. 29, 1935 TENrfoFF1cE Y Y 1,989,149 'BOTTLE CRATE OQNSTRUCTION Edward. M; Fennock, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to G. H. Tennant Company, Minneapolis, Minh.,a

v corporation of ,Minnesota :Application' August 21, 1931, Serial'- No.558,463 I 6 Claims. (Q1. 211-19) "*Thisinvention relates to a bottle crate construction wherein it is desired to provide a =means'of connecting the cross-members which iormthe partitions for the bottles in the crate.

. '5 A' feature resides inproviding spacer stay rods "WhiChfiCt in a sense as long rivets extending from one set of partition-members to another, and which may'also be used for extending from the :01'18 set of partition members to another set 'and then connecting the two sets of partitions to base "members if it is desired. The rivet or'stay rod is pinched in a die so as to form lugswhich act as key shoulders. The cross members which form'the partitions in the crate foithebottles are formed of flat ribbon-like stripsnf metal and these "strips are died-out with-openings which permit 'thestay rod to pass through' the same-with its'key shoulders to position the "re- 'spective partition members between the shoulders =to lockthe'same in place.

A feature resides in'providing a stay rod connector with key shoulders' formed thereon's'o-as to-IOckthe-fiat'partition members at their interseoting point between the key shoulders, between the ends of the rod and between the key shoulders and the upset or riveted end of the rod on each end thereof.

In the drawing forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a section transversely through a milk bottle crate.

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation partly in section of the stay rod and intersecting partition members secured spaced apart and locked on the 35 rod.

Figure 3 is a perspective of two portions of the right angularly intersecting flat metal members which form the partitions of the milk bottle crate.

Figure 4 illustrates one of the stay rods.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The drawing illustrates a milk bottle crate A which is formed with side walls which are connected together at the corners 11 by suitable angle iron members which hold the corners of the side walls 10 connected firmly together.

Extending horizontally through the crate, I provide fiat metal partition bars 12 and 13 which intersect and extend between the walls 10 of the crate A. These bars may be formed with armated depending flanges 14 which form recesses against which the bottles in the crate A fit.

To strengthen the crate A at the intersecting points of the bars 12 and 13 which form the partitions such as B and C, and the bottom portion D, I provide spacer rods or rivet members 15. The bars 12 and 13 intersect at right angles and lie one against the other at their intersecting points. I

The rods or rivets 15 are formed with-key shoulders 16in pairs, one on each side,by pinching the rod 15 in a die so as to squeeze the shoulders out of the body of the rod in a manner so that they will project from the sides thereof.

These pairs of shoulders -may be placed between v the ends of the rod 15 and'fa'pa'irmay bealso 10 placed nearthe endsof the-"rod-so that whenthe extreme ends 17 of the rod-are riveted, as-will be later set forth, the keyshoulders will form a locking means or holdingthe partition members 18 which are-positionedasillustrated in the portions shown in' Figure 3 so that when the ;bars

' 12 and 13 are laid one against the other orinter- 20 sect,' the key "slotsj18 will coincide and permit thekey shoulders m to pass through thekey "slots 18 -to secureth'e barjs lg and 13 611 the rod '15 7 between these pairs -of shoulders 16i --A;tter' the rod 15 has been extended through the bars 12 25 and 13, the rod 15 may be turned sufficiently so as to lock the bars 12 and 13 between the pairs of shoulders 16 to hold the partition portions C on the rod 15 between different pairs of shoulders 16 as illustrated in Figure 2.

The upper partition B or the lower partition D, it being understood that the lower partition D may be the bottom of the crate A instead of a partition, are secured to the ends of the rod 15 by forming a round hole or hole the shape of the rod 15 in the two members 12 and 13 and then engaging these intersecting portions 12 and 13 with the round hole over the ends 17 and then riveting the head 19 on to the end of the rod. This will lock the portions B and C at their intersecting points against the shoulder 16 by the head 19.

In this manner, I provide stay rods 15 which act as spacers between the partitions B, C and D so as to hold them fixed spaced apart and firmly connected together to brace them one from the other. This structure is very simple, yet it is effective in manufacturing milk bottle crates and other crates of this character. The key shoulders on the rods 15 hold the portions 12 and 13 between the same like the partition portion C, the rod 15 being turned after it has slipped through the key slots 18, or against the key shoulders as on the ends of the rods 15 when the portion 19 is upset, to rivet it in a manner to lock the bars 12 and 13 to the ends of the same, which also looks the rod 15 against turning. With these pairs of key shoulders 16 in between the ends of the rod 15 or any place along the rod 15, the key shoulder portions are formed for locking such members as the fiat bars 12 and 13 at I their intersecting points, thus the long stay rods or rivets 15 provide a brace means between the partitions and the bottom of the crate A to reinforce the same and tie the partitions together to distribute the strain throughout the crate A.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the features and particular formation of my bottle crate construction, and while I desire to illustrate and set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the same is only suggestive of a means of carrying out the principles of the invention and that the same may be varied within the scope of the fol lowing claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: 1. A stay rivet brace including, a rod-like member, pairs of key shoulders formed in the body of said member spaced from the ends of said member, partition members adapted to be secured by and bottom members adapted to intersect virtually at right angles, key slots formed in said partition members, a brace rivet, pairs of key shoulders pinched out of the body of said rivet, and means forsecuring said partition members between said shoulders and to the ends thereof to lock said partition members spaced apart and to ,form a rod-like brace therebetween.

3. The combination, a bottle crate, side walls,

partition members extending between said side walls to divide said crate into bottle compartments, said partition members intersecting at right angles, and a stay rivet having key shoulders pinched out of the body of said rivet adapted to lock said partition members against said shoulders to space one set of partition members apart from the other set and to lock said partition members at their intersecting point one against the other.

4. A stay rivet brace member for bottle crates including, a rod-like body, key shoulders formed by pinching a portion of said body to cause the same to project from the body of said rod, pairs of said key shoulders positioned between the ends of said rod, members having key slots adapted to slide over said key shoulders formed on said rod, said members intersecting and contacting each other at right angles between pairs of said key shoulders, turning said stay rivet brace member to lock said intersecting members between said key shoulders, and key shoulders adjacent the ends of said rod adapted to receive intersecting members thereagainst, and a head riveted on the end of said rod to secure said last mentioned members on said rod against the key shoulders locked to hold said rod against turning.

5. A stay rivet brace and spacer for partitions for bottle crates including, a rod-like body portion, pairs ofkey shoulders projecting at intershoulders formed in the body of saidmember spaced from the ends of the member, partition members adapted to be secured by said stay rivet brace, key slots formed in said partition members to receive said rod and key shoulders therethrough, and riveting ends on said brace for rigidly securing some of said partition members against said key shoulders.

EDWARD M. PENNOCK. 

